A song’s composition is a fragile and complicated thing—remove one element for one second and the whole vibe can be displaced—an entire album is another story. The new masterfully crafted LP by Pile, entitled, You’re Better than This, is a work of unhurried hushes and fuzzed-over, steam-engine outbursts that create an unspoken anticipation in the absence of its upheavals, and then delivers upon them, crushing any notion of calm (in the best way possible).
Weird and lugubrious landscapes are built with peculiar guitar themes, whether picked or calmly strummed—precarious stepping through an uncharted woodland—and then completely razed and ravaged by barrages of fiery noise; a frantic search for cover among the burning trees. All the while, singer Rick Maguire’s probing wails penetrate the scenery, achingly trying to find his place amongst the ruins. Songs like “Mr. Fish”, and “Hot Breath” slowly but surely approach inevitable breaking points, and “Touched by Comfort” attempts to do exactly what its title states, giving little reprieve in the record’s ride, while something as simply beautiful as a perfectly plucked acoustic guitar has its intentions questioned with a title like “Fuck the Police.” The record is a feather in Pile’s cap, a brilliant, extremely personal example of self-searching in harmony as a band who has been together for 7+ years.
You’re Better than This will be released on March 3 via Exploding in Sound. You can stream it below.
